How to Add an Internal Lining Pocket to the Forester Coat

Add a practical and elegant detail to your Men's or Women's Forester Coat by making a hidden interior pocket in the lining. Perfectly sized to hold a phone or wallet, the concealed pocket is simple to make and will give your coat an impressive finish!

You will need a few extra pattern pieces other than those in your Forester pattern. Once you have downloaded them, assemble as shown below. The pattern pages with W in the background are the Women's pattern pieces, and the sheets with M are the Men's pattern pieces.

Cutting:

These cutting directions are for making a version with an internal pocket on ONE side. To add a pocket to both sides, simply cut an extra set as a mirrored pair.

Cut the following pieces using the Forester Coat pattern pieces:

Internal Pocket: Cut 2 from lining fabric

Front: Trim off the top section of the paper pattern piece where indicated on the pattern piece, then cut 1 from lining fabric

Side Front: Cut 1 from lining (** For the Men's version only, snip off the little triangle at the top of the side front pattern piece as indicated on the paper pattern piece)

Upper Front Lining:Cut 1 from lining

Upper Side Front Lining:Cut 1 from lining (**Women's version only - see following photo)

Note that the top of the women's version has two pieces, and the men's version has only one piece. The women's version is pictured in the video and the photos below, but the sewing method is the same.

Sewing Instructions:

1. For both Men's + Women's sew the front to the side front.

*For women's only sew the upper front to the upper side front. (On the Men's version, the upper side front is already incorporated into the upper front piece)

Press the seams open.

2. Lay the pocket pieces onto the top and lower front lining pieces with right sides together, matching up the notches.

Stitch the pockets to the top and lower front linings with a 3/8”(1cm) seam allowance.

3. Fold the pocket bags away from the lining pieces and press. Topstitch across the pocket seam with a 1/8” (3mm) seam allowance.

4. Place the top front lining over the lower front lining with right sides together. Align the pocket bags so that they are sitting on top of each other.

Sew the top and lower front linings together with a 3/8” (1cm) seam allowance. Pivot at the notches (which are 3/8” (1cm) in from the edges of the pockets) and stitch around the pocket bags. Pivot again at the top of the pocket and continue to the edge of the front.

5. Fold the pockets down and press the seam toward the lower front. Put your hand in and test the pocket - so fancy!

Repeat if you would like a pocket on the other side too.

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